Montgomery County, Missouri
Encyclopedia
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Missouri
. It lies in East Central Missouri, approximately halfway between Columbia
and St. Louis. As of 2000, the population was 12,136. It was named in honor of Richard Montgomery
, an American Revolutionary War
general killed in 1775 while attempting to capture Quebec
, Canada
. Its county seat
is Montgomery City
.
With a branch of Stone Hill Winery
in New Florence
, the county is part of the Missouri Rhineland
.
.
In the early 19th century, European settlement started at a greater pace, after exploration during previous decades by French trappers and British and American fur traders.
The Loutre Island area is commonly associated with the German-founded towns of Rhineland
and Starkenburg, established by immigrants of the mid-19th century and later. Starkenburg has several historically significant Catholic churches built in the German architectural tradition. These were originally German-language congregations.
The first house of worship was a log church, still maintained as a chapel. Also in Starkenburg is St. Martin's Church
, built in 1873 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. Above its entrance is the text: "This is the House Of God and the Gate Of Heaven." (This text also appears over the entrance of the Rennes-le-Château
in France, traditionally believed to be the secret home of the Holy Grail
.)
Starkenburg is also the site of the Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows
Catholic church, built in the early 20th century and listed on the NRHP. For further devotions and pilgrimage, the community created an outdoor area for representations of the Stations of the Cross
, Mount Calvary and Holy Sepulchre. Starkenburg is located inland from the Missouri River. After the destructive Great Flood of 1993
, Rhineland citizens used federal funds to relocate their houses 1½ miles inland away from the river.
of 2000, there were 12,136 people, 4,775 households, and 3,337 families residing in the county. The population density
was 23 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 5,726 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.97% White
, 2.04% Black
or African American
, 0.24% Native American
, 0.26% Asian
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
, 0.21% from other races
, and 1.28% from two or more races. 0.77% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 39.1% were of German
, 18.4% American
, 10.2% English
and 9.2% Irish
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 4,775 households out of which 31.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.90% were married couples
living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 26.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.40% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 26.10% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 17.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,772, and the median income for a family was $38,632. Males had a median income of $27,933 versus $19,809 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $15,092. About 8.40% of families and 11.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.60% of those under age 18 and 10.60% of those age 65 or over.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. It lies in East Central Missouri, approximately halfway between Columbia
Columbia, Missouri
Columbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...
and St. Louis. As of 2000, the population was 12,136. It was named in honor of Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery was an Irish-born soldier who first served in the British Army. He later became a brigadier-general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and he is most famous for leading the failed 1775 invasion of Canada.Montgomery was born and raised in Ireland...
, an American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
general killed in 1775 while attempting to capture Quebec
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Montgomery City
Montgomery City, Missouri
Montgomery City is a city in Montgomery County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,442 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Montgomery County.-Geography:Montgomery City is located at...
.
With a branch of Stone Hill Winery
Stone Hill Winery
Stone Hill Winery is a Missouri winery located in Hermann, Missouri, along the Missouri River, in what is called the Missouri Rhineland of the Hermann AVA. It has additional facilities in Branson and New Florence...
in New Florence
New Florence, Missouri
New Florence is a city in Montgomery County, Missouri, United States. The population was 764 at the 2000 census.It includes a branch of Stone Hill Winery, based in Hermann, Missouri. From here to the St...
, the county is part of the Missouri Rhineland
Missouri Rhineland
The Missouri Rhineland is a geographical area of Missouri that extends from west of St. Louis to slightly east of Jefferson City, located mostly in the Missouri River Valley on both sides of the river...
.
History
The county has evidence of human habitation from 10,000 years ago, the Archaic period of indigenous Americans. An ancient site was found during archaeological excavations at Graham Cave on the Loutre RiverLoutre River
The Loutre River is a tributary of the Missouri River in the United States. The Loutre River, beginning as Little Loutre Creek in Audrain County, is fed along its path by many small creeks and streams. It flows into the Missouri River from the north in Montgomery County opposite the town of Hermann...
.
In the early 19th century, European settlement started at a greater pace, after exploration during previous decades by French trappers and British and American fur traders.
The Loutre Island area is commonly associated with the German-founded towns of Rhineland
Rhineland, Missouri
Rhineland is a village in Montgomery County, Missouri, United States. The population was 176 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town. Its name came from German immigrants from the River Rhine area....
and Starkenburg, established by immigrants of the mid-19th century and later. Starkenburg has several historically significant Catholic churches built in the German architectural tradition. These were originally German-language congregations.
The first house of worship was a log church, still maintained as a chapel. Also in Starkenburg is St. Martin's Church
St. Martin's Church (Starkenburg, Missouri)
St. Martin's Church is a historic Catholic church building in Starkenburg, Montgomery County, Missouri in the Diocese of Jefferson City. It is now part of a religious complex near the Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows...
, built in 1873 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. Above its entrance is the text: "This is the House Of God and the Gate Of Heaven." (This text also appears over the entrance of the Rennes-le-Château
Rennes-le-Château
Rennes-le-Château is a commune in the Aude department in Languedoc in southern France.This small French hilltop village is known internationally, and receives tens of thousands of visitors per year, for being at the center of various conspiracy theories, and for being the location of an alleged...
in France, traditionally believed to be the secret home of the Holy Grail
Holy Grail
The Holy Grail is a sacred object figuring in literature and certain Christian traditions, most often identified with the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper and said to possess miraculous powers...
.)
Starkenburg is also the site of the Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows
Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows
The Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows is a Roman Catholic church in Starkenburg, Montgomery County, Missouri. It replaced an earlier 19th century log church, which was retained on the site as a chapel. Both were built by a congregation of mid-19th century German immigrants and their descendants...
Catholic church, built in the early 20th century and listed on the NRHP. For further devotions and pilgrimage, the community created an outdoor area for representations of the Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross refers to the depiction of the final hours of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St...
, Mount Calvary and Holy Sepulchre. Starkenburg is located inland from the Missouri River. After the destructive Great Flood of 1993
Great Flood of 1993
The Great Mississippi and Missouri Rivers Flood of 1993 occurred in the American Midwest, along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and their tributaries, from April to October 1993. The flood was among the most costly and devastating to ever occur in the United States, with $15 billion in damages...
, Rhineland citizens used federal funds to relocate their houses 1½ miles inland away from the river.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 540.34 square miles (1,399.5 km²), of which 537.46 square miles (1,392 km²) (or 99.47%) is land and 2.88 square miles (7.5 km²) (or 0.53%) is water.Adjacent counties
- Audrain CountyAudrain County, MissouriAudrain County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2010, the population was 25,529. Its county seat is Mexico. The county was organized in 1836. Audrain County was named for Col. James Hunter Audrain. Col. Audrain was Colonel of militia in the War of 1812. In 1830 Col...
(northwest) - Pike CountyPike County, MissouriAs of the census of 2010, there were 18,516 people, 6,451 households, and 4,476 families residing in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile . There were 7,493 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile...
(northeast) - Lincoln CountyLincoln County, MissouriAs of the census of 2000, there were 38,944 people, 13,851 households, and 10,554 families residing in the county. The population density was 62 people per square mile . There were 15,511 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
(east) - Warren CountyWarren County, MissouriWarren County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. Warren County is part of the St. Louis Metro Area and is located west of the city on the north side of the Missouri River. As of 2008, the population was estimated to be 31,214. Its county seat is Warrenton...
(southeast) - Gasconade CountyGasconade County, MissouriGasconade County is a county in the U.S. state of Missouri located on the south side of the Missouri River, which once served as the chief route of transportation in the state. Located in the area called the Missouri Rhineland, the county had a population of 15,342 as of the 2000 U.S. Census. A...
(south) - Callaway CountyCallaway County, MissouriCallaway County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is part of the Jefferson City, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 44,332. Its county seat is Fulton. The county was organized in 1820. It was named for Capt. James Callaway, a grandson of...
(west) - Osage CountyOsage County, MissouriOsage County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. The county was named for the Osage River. As of 2000, the population was 13,062. Its county seat is Linn. The center of population of Missouri is located in Osage County, in the city of Westphalia .Osage County is part of the...
(southwest at a point in the Missouri River)
Major highways
Interstate 70
U.S. Route 40
Route 19
Route 94
Route 161
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 12,136 people, 4,775 households, and 3,337 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 23 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 5,726 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.97% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 2.04% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.24% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.26% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.21% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.28% from two or more races. 0.77% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 39.1% were of German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 18.4% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 10.2% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and 9.2% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 4,775 households out of which 31.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.90% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 26.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.40% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 26.10% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 17.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,772, and the median income for a family was $38,632. Males had a median income of $27,933 versus $19,809 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $15,092. About 8.40% of families and 11.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.60% of those under age 18 and 10.60% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
|
High Hill, Missouri High Hill is a city in Montgomery County, Missouri, United States. The population was 231 at the 2000 census.-Geography:High Hill is adjacent to Interstate 70. The city is accessible from the expressway via Highway F.-Demographics:... Jonesburg, Missouri Jonesburg is a city in Montgomery County, Missouri, United States. The population was 695 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Jonesburg is located at .... McKittrick, Missouri McKittrick is a city in Montgomery County, Missouri, United States. The population was 72 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town.-Geography:McKittrick is located at .... |
Middletown, Missouri Middletown is a city in Montgomery County, Missouri, United States. The population was 199 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town.-Geography:Middletown is located at .... Mineola, Missouri Mineola is an unincorporated community in western Montgomery County, Missouri, United States. It is located about six miles south of Montgomery City on Missouri Supplemental Route J. It is about one mile from Interstate 70. Its post office closed in 1967 and mail now comes from Montgomery City. ... Montgomery City, Missouri Montgomery City is a city in Montgomery County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,442 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Montgomery County.-Geography:Montgomery City is located at... |
New Florence, Missouri New Florence is a city in Montgomery County, Missouri, United States. The population was 764 at the 2000 census.It includes a branch of Stone Hill Winery, based in Hermann, Missouri. From here to the St... Rhineland, Missouri Rhineland is a village in Montgomery County, Missouri, United States. The population was 176 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town. Its name came from German immigrants from the River Rhine area.... Wellsville, Missouri Wellsville is a city in Montgomery County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,423 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wellsville is located at .... |
Community Groups
- Montgomery County Human Resource Board
- Montgomery County Citizens for Health Improvement Project
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Montgomery County, Missouri
External links
- St. Martin's Church
- Digitized 1930 Plat Book of Montgomery County from University of MissouriUniversity of MissouriThe University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books